This was our first time rescuing a pup, and we had the greatest experience with Love Bugs! Kelly…read morewas amazing and answered my questions right away. We were able to meet the pups and get to know which one would be best for our family. I could really tell that the whole organization really puts the animals first- making sure they are placed with the right families. I wouldn't hesitate to adopt thru Love Bugs again, and refer them to all of my friends and family!

We've adopted two dogs in the last eight months from love bug rescue. They're both amazing and the…read moreexperience. adopting them was also amazing. Great communication all around. Highly recommend.

We had a really wonderful experience with this organization. Since we already had 2 kids and a dog…read moreat home and wanted to add a second one- we weren't sure the best way to do that. But they worked with us to find the best possible pup to match our family and that is how our family grew by sweet and perfect doggy Zahara!! She is an angel and everything they said! We will forever be grateful they saved her from a high kill shelter and found a foster home for her to keep her safe and well trained until we found her and gave her a forever home! Everyone here that we worked with was excellent- such care and devotion and loyalty to these dogs they are passionate to save and entrust to homes. They organized a first meeting to create the best introduction for us all and our other dog, plus spent over an hour of incredibly helpful dog training advice in person to help us incorporate her into our home. We'll never look anywhere else if we ever want another animal! We are their supporters for life! Thank you Little Red Dog!!!

From the start to the end this organization was professional, organized, informative & kind. Most…read moreof all I could see that they truly cared for the dogs that they rescued & attempted to find good matches & the best homes for the pups. They don't cut you loose after the adoption either. I've had texts asking how it's going & cheering me on. Plus they have a great trainer on board that I already met with at the greet & meet & he went over tips & techniques. He's also on staff. Plus they have a weekly pod cast. Having been a business owner myself I'm always impressed with customer service & this biz has it in spades. Their first concern is the dog & that is the way it should be!

First everyone has an opinion on dogs and rescues. Many are passionate in their feelings. GSROC is…read morevery professional in all ways and responds quickly to any negative perceptions. They are the platinum standard for rescues in SOCAL. I started walking for the OC animal shelter in retirement. I found it distressing that many animals were euthanized. I am a realist. the math says there are just too many animals and not enough adoptions. Still.... Someone suggested GSROC. I tried and was very impressed. Today I found my niche in fostering dogs especially young ones I don't want to see growing up in a kennel. It can be hard work dealing with housebreaking issues and puppy behavior but I feel a sense of accomplishment helping dogs who may have had a difficult life more adoptable. By working with one dog at a time I may not be turning the tide but I feel good doing what I can. GSROC allows me to do my bit to help and I appreciate that.

I followed German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County for approximately 9 months before deciding to…read moreapply to adopt. I have tremendous respect for rescue organizations and the work involved in finding safe, appropriate homes for dogs, so I took their application process seriously. The application is quite extensive and asks for a considerable amount of personal information. I completed it thoroughly and was therefore very disappointed to learn that my application was denied.  Not because of my home, experience, ability to care for a dog, or anything contained in my application, but simply because I live too far away for the organization to conduct its required home visit. I live in Joshua Tree, approximately 1.45 hours away. My concern isn't that GSROC has a home visit requirement, I completely understand and respect that. My concern is that this geographic limitation was not made clear before I spent considerable time completing the application and providing personal information. I called hoping to have a constructive conversation about whether there might be another solution. I offered to pay the expenses for someone from the organization to travel to my home. I asked whether a facetime home tour might be possible, or if there was another way to satisfy their requirement. I even suggested that, if the desert and Palm Springs areas are difficult for them to cover, I would be willing to volunteer and potentially be trained to conduct home visits in this area for future applicants. Unfortunately, my conversation with GSROC was extremely discouraging. Rather than feeling that my questions or possible solutions were being considered, I felt dismissed and spoken to in a condescending manner. I continued trying to have a respectful conversation because my intention wasn't to challenge their adoption standards, but simply trying to understand whether there was any path forward. I fully respect an organization's right to establish the geographic area it is able or willing to serve. My suggestion to GSROC would simply be to clearly disclose that limitation at the beginning of the application process. If and applicant outside a particular radius will automatically be denied because a home visit cannot be conducted, stating that upfront would save prospective adopters considerable time and prevent them from unnecessarily providing extensive personal information. There are wonderful potential adopters throughout Southern California, including the desert communities. I had hoped there might be an opportunity to find a solution, or perhaps even help expand their reach into this area. I came away from the experience disappointed, not because I believe an organization is obligated to approve my application, but because I believe a respectful conversation and transparent application process should be possible even when the answer ultimately remains no.

Hard to get a puppy there's always someone waiting for the pup before you! They say these people…read morehave been waiting for 6 months! It's not a fair situation!

ADVICE: "BE PERSISTENT"…read more Thank you and kudos to SCPR for taking their time to rescue Pomeranians and finding them the right fit homes. They are a trusted organization and the volunteers/staff truly care for the Pomeranians an want the best fit. The Poms come spade/nurtured, vaccinated, and microchipped. My Pom came with a ton of commands and housebroken and pad trained. Because of them, my heart is overly filled with joy knowing I am a human to that infamous CHLOE! I adopted Chloe on August 28, 2019 after 3.5 weeks of stalker her and sliding DMs to the organization/volunteers - more like blowing up their DMs. LOL. Like I said, "be persistent". - Continuously keep reaching out - Attend their events - Be vocal to the organization and volunteers how interested you are and what is the next step - Good luck being the right fit for your future resume Pomeranian The organization is great. Til this day they keep in touch! HERE'S MY STORY. I have given up trying to adopt a dog because it seems daunting and never ending with dismissing inquiries - it belittled my confidence in ever adopting a rescue. I decided to give my dog search one last try and I saw a picture of Chloe. When I want something, I will go beyond measures to get it. Chloe stole my heart and I knew she'd be mine. I went to the SCPR website and emailed them, followed their social media, and sent messages and received no response. I even noted their address and was determine to drive 1+ hrs but realize it doesn't look like a dog rescue facility. I did my "investigating" on InstaGram and connected a key person (Jasmine) in the organization and slid DM's her way. She connected me to the temp. foster mom (Theresa) caring for Chloe via phone to know more about her personality. She didn't tell me just the good stuff, she truthfully told me about who/how Chloe is - I appreciate that because I've had other organizations say anything just to loadoff the dog. Shortly after, they texted me about the meet and greet event coming up in Irvine that weekend and then it was announced online. I wasn't sure what was expected and so I arrived 2hrs early and waited near by. And was the first person to arrive at the event to meet Chloe and spend time with her. A ton of people were there to check out Chloe and I started to lose my confidence assuming maybe those people are better fit because this is my first dog as an adult and all these other people have dogs an etc. I stayed an extra 1.5hrs observing Chloe and chatting with volunteers and of course checking out my competition. I then asked the organization "what's the next step, I'd like to do a trial". According to them, I was the only one who stepped up and asked and so I got my chance. Little did they know, I have been observing Chloe through pictures and social media for 3 weeks that i have prepared for her to live with me even though I have yet met her (bought her a bed, tons of food she might like from a special dog deli, bought her a few mini tennis balls, bought a camera for my home so I can spy on her, seemed out local small dog parks to take her) - yah, I'm THAT dedicated type of person. Couple days later they arrived in San Diego to do a home inspection and drop Chloe off - I was truly ready for her. Our week trial went great, we were the right fit. While on trial, Chloe got fleas from the dog park and the organization allowed me to take her to their vet to get checked and get medication for her. During trial, they followed up to make sure everything was okay. Their lines of communication was open and I could reach out to them about anything. After a week, we went forward in making the adoption final! They given me a chance to love a rescue dog and I hope to provide Chloe with #livingherbestlife moments in San Diego.

The people at New Beginnings For Animals are wonderful to work with. We found the perfect dog for…read moreour family through this rescue group. Their rates are very reasonable especially since they care for the animals, give them any necessary shots/chips and nurse them to health if needed until they find their forever home. I worked mostly with Diane and she was always punctual with replying to emails/texts regarding any dogs of interest. She always gave me timely info and answered any and all of my constant questions and concerns. Meeting times were always flexible and there wasn't a pressure to choose a dog with every meeting. They do their homework on finding the right fit for their animals which I appreciate. They have the animals best interest at heart. That means not every family will get what they want if the fit isn't right. It'd be awful to adopt a dog only to rehome/return the dog a few months later due to bad fit. Keep up the good work!

Extremely disappointing and unwelcoming experience…read more I contacted New Beginnings for Animals because we were genuinely interested in adopting Luna, a Boston Terrier/Pug mix listed on Adopt-a-Pet. We were excited about the possibility of giving her a loving, permanent home. What happened during my phone conversation with the rescue was extremely upsetting. One of the first things I was asked was whether we live in military housing. When I said yes, I was told that they generally don't like adopting to military families because if the service member gets called away, they don't want the dog returned to them. I found this incredibly unfair and, quite honestly, discriminatory. Rather than getting to know us, our home, our plans, or our ability to care for a dog, I felt like we were immediately placed into a category simply because my husband is in the military. I explained that **this would be my dog**, that she would be an emotional support animal, and that if my husband were deployed or called away, she would stay with me. I have been through deployments before. If necessary, I could stay with his parents temporarily, but the dog would remain with me. There was never any scenario where we intended to surrender her or send her back to the rescue. I also brought up Luna's compatibility with children, dogs, and cats because those things matter when choosing a pet. Luna's Adopt-a-Pet listing says she is **"Good With Kids" and "Good With Dogs."** However, I was told during the call that she is actually not good with kids, dogs, or cats, needs to be the only dog, and would not be good on walks around other animals because she is "feisty." I was told there may have been a mix-up because two dogs had apparently been entered into the system. That discrepancy was very concerning. These are not small details when someone is deciding whether a dog is appropriate for their household. I completely understand that animal rescues have a responsibility to protect the animals in their care and to carefully screen adopters. I have no issue with reasonable questions or making sure a dog is placed in the right home. What I do have an issue with is being made to feel **unwelcome and judged because we are a military family**, especially when I was willing and able to explain exactly how the dog would be cared for during deployments or other military obligations. We were not asking for special treatment. We were asking to be considered as individuals and given a fair opportunity to demonstrate that we could provide Luna with a safe, stable, loving, permanent home. Instead, I walked away from the conversation feeling like our military status had already made us undesirable adopters before our circumstances were even considered. A rescue organization should make people who are trying to give an animal a loving home feel welcomed--not judged or automatically discounted because of their family's profession. This was my personal experience, and unfortunately it was enough to make me no longer feel comfortable pursuing an adoption through this organization. I hope they take this feedback seriously and reconsider how military families are approached and evaluated in the future. PSA the listing is still up with all the good qualities of the dog and the lady I spoke to also referred me to 3 different rescues instead.

Pet Match Rescue is an awesome organization, giving so many loving dogs a chance in life, rescuing…read morethem from loneliness, risk of euthanasia, and placing them in well deserved loving homes! This was my family's first experience with pet adoption. Pet Match Rescue (PMR) made the experience smooth and organized, by having the adoptable pets online for review and applications available online so that you can prepare one in advance. You can look at their events list for an opportunity to meet the dog and talk with someone from the Pet Match organization. I love how Pet Match cares for its animals and focuses primarily on what is in the best interest in each of its dogs. They want to meet everyone in your family, talk with you and ensure there will be plenty of love and good compatibility between you and your future pet. If you want an organization where you just give them money and get a dog, no questions asked...this is not the place for you! They truly love their dogs and want them to have the best possible home. On the day of the event, we arrived at Petco and followed the Pet Match signs to visit Beverly, the beautiful little Yorkie/Pomeranian that we previously viewed on the website. We found a pen with some of the adoptable dogs in it, along with Phyllis, their foster mom. There we had an opportunity to visit with Beverly and chat with Phyllis about the dog. We found Phyllis to be a very friendly, caring foster mom for these dogs, with a very loving heart. She told us all about the little dog, including how she likes to play, her personality and eating habits. We were given an opportunity to take the dog for a short walk and get acquainted with our possible new companion. Along the walk our family spoke with Phyllis and shared what our home would be like for Beverly. After our brief walk and visit with Beverly, we decided that we would love for her to be a member of the family. We took our completed adoption papers to the table where we met Linda. We were a bit nervous when we talked with Linda, since we were anxiously hoping that we would be accepted as a match for Beverly. We talked about our home, told her a little about ourselves and even showed her pictures of our home. I thought bringing pictures of our home and the neighborhood where we would walk her, with lush greenbelts would help show Pet Match what it would be like for Beverly to live with us. The next morning, we received a call from Pet Match confirming that our family was matched with Beverly and that they would like to come with Beverly to visit our home. The next day, Linda brought Beverly to our home along with a big bag of toys and treats. Together we watched as Beverly played in our home and became comfortable in her new surroundings. Linda is very compassionate about their dogs and before we knew it, hours had gone by. She gave us lots of good advice on how to care for Beverly and showed us which food products were the best and which ones were not recommended. Linda talked to us about Beverly's feeding schedule and showed us all of the products, treats and coupons in the goodie bag. We enjoyed Linda's visit and appreciated all the advice that she provided about Beverly. She is an exceptional member of the Pet Match team and really goes the extra length to successfully adopt a pet. Beverly has been a wonderful addition to our family and has brought us much love and happiness. We couldn't be more pleased!

We could not be happier with our new family member. By the looks of the reviews here, you either…read moregive 5 stars for an amazing experience or you give 1 star if you are turned down for adoption. I get it. Here is my story.... We looked on petfinder.com for a new puppy and we see a litter of six havanese mix puppies that are as adorable as can be. I submit an application and am told via email that we cannot see them unless we show up at a public viewing the following Sunday at the Petco in Newport Beach. It was Father's Day so we had to change our plans around to make it in time. They were showing them from noon to 3pm and we showed up at 2:30. The place was a mad-house. Totally mobbed with people from all over So Cal waiting around to get their 5 minutes in the play pen with the gorgeous puppies. There were literally over 100 people there during our stay. Our turn came and, after being handled all day, the puppies were all exhausted and taking naps. Still cute but it was way too difficult to request any one in particular. We needed to submit the names of our requested puppy(s) on the application, and then wait for a call. We figured there was no way we would "make the cut" but I did get a call on the following Tuesday. We were told that, based on our application (we listed that we had a kitten at home) we would best be matched with one named "Agate". We would need to agree to that one in particular but that was not one that we asked for. Based on Agate's personality, he would most likely have the best chance in a home with a kitten. We were thrilled to get any of the six and certainly welcomed their recommendation. They were going to stop by and do a home inspection later in the week. We did the recommended shopping for the right food, toys, playpen, etc. and awaited our meeting. We knew from experience that they wanted no dog door, locks on all of the side gates, a good perimeter fence, a nice yard with grass and someone home most of the day. Not great to lock up a puppy all day while mom and dad are working. Hence some of the bad reviews. Hey, I get it. When the puppies are cute and close to pure bread, these places can afford to be picky. Anyone can go to a shelter and pick up a chihuahua or pit bull and will cost next to nothing. A cute, almost pure bread, puppy will require different rules and a higher adoption fee. This is not a for-profit enterprise but they do charge more where they can and use the extra funds to help defray costs of running their program. What they do here is amazing. For example, we were ready to adopt Agate right away but we could not bring him home for two more weeks while he was battling an ear infection. The foster family, who was housing and raising all six puppies, was making sure he was strong and healthy before placement, and not looking to turn a quick buck. Our adoption fee was $625 (I think) which was a lot more than a dog from a pound and a lot less than a pure bread puppy from a breeder. Agate, now called Oliver, is a lovable healthy adorable little guy and were are lucky to have him. The folks here are all amazing, caring volunteers and they run a wonderful service.

I got the best four month old German Shepherd, Belgian Malinois mix. He has been a blessing to our…read morefamily, kind and gentle to females and children very protective through the dog with the best heart I've ever around where he can be gentle, and if our home our family is threatened, he can become very intense very quickly, and yet effortless switch back to the loving pet we've always known I have four grandchildren, and he worships the ground. They walk on. A Wish For Animals is by far the best, most ethical honest and knowledgeable. I've ever dealt with what you want be patient and wait it will come through

This rescue is not a nonprofit and they engage in unscrupulous and unethical practices, at the…read moreabsolute very least. They have been banned from most local shelters and use various deceptive tactics to circumvent this restriction. Verifying a company's 501c status is pretty straightforward since it's all public record. We looked up AWFA via both the California DOJ website (you can look them up by name or by their EIN 202331353) and the IRS's tool for nonprofits. AWFA's status with California had been revoked since 2016, due to multiple violations against the Supervision of Trustees and Fundraisers for Charitable Purposes Act and therefore they're not allowed to conduct any activity or solicit charitable assets in California. The IRS page shows that AWFA's status was revoked federally on 5/15/2021. We fostered with this "rescue" once and that was enough. The dog we fostered was injured, traumatized, and arrived with no supplies. When we expressed concerns and ultimately decided to get legal advice out of concern for the dog's safety. We stayed in contact with the rescue and requested they not contact us until after we had sought legal advice. The rescue's operator showed up at our door several hours later with local law enforcement who said they had documents establishing ownership, but which they refused to furnish for our review or verification. When one officer suggested we could "do this the easy way or..." we unfortunately relinquished possession of the dog. The dog became terrified upon seeing the rescue owner, to the extent that she lost bowel control and shook uncontrollably. This rescue is a giant red flag. Do not facilitate the harm they inflict, they should rightfully be shut down. This review is real. I am real. I did obscure my identity given this organization's history of weaponizing law enforcement.

Adopted a dog last this week. Worked with Tara and fostered by Audrey. Met several dogs. Had a…read moresolid experience. Very ethical people and caring people.

My daughter adopted a dog from this group. They were so helpful, with guidance and helping us…read morelocate just the right pet for our home. Our dog came to us fully vetted and in great health. We are so grateful for our new fur baby. We plan to donate when we can--they do so much work for the elderly unclaimed doggies. Great rescue group.